Pandemonium as gunmen attack bullion van in Imo

Gunmen, on Thursday, attacked a bullion van at Ogbor-Nguru in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.

Our correspondent gathered that the bullion van took off from Owerri, the state capital, and was billed to offload cash at one of the new generational banks in Mbaise when it was attacked.

An eye witness, Kennedy Onwunali, told our correspondent that the gunmen attacked their target at the General Hospital in Mbaise.

He said that the attackers shot at the van continuously but the driver was courageous enough to keep moving.

According to the eyewitness, the bullion van somersaulted after the driver kept judging the gunmen.

He said, “The gunmen intercepted the bullion van at the Hospital junction, Mbaise, but the driver was courageous enough to keep moving. They went after him and kept shooting. Everybody scampered for safety. The van later somersaulted but the armed robbers ran away. No life was not. No money was lost. The driver survived with a bank official and police escort.

“The police have arrived the scene and taken over. But economic and commercial activities had come to an abrupt end because of fear. The panic was much.”

The spokesperson for the Police in the state, Micheal Abattam, confirmed the attack in a brief statement.

He wrote, “Sketchy information revealed that the bullion van was returning after delivering money and was attacked by hoodlums. The driver on noticing it tried to escape, unfortunately his vehicle capsized (somersaulted). No money was carted away.”